- Power point presentation on Shoulder Dystocia This is just the facts, targetted to the medical community.
- Article on the Gaskin Maneuver A study done to test the effectiveness of getting the laboring woman onto all fours to relieve shoulder dystocia. Note the paragraph that talks about the negative data of the study (or rather, lack thereof)
- Response to Shoulder Dystocia question on Henci Goer's forum There are links to a couple of other good resources in there too. Like What Every Pregnant Woman Needs to Know About Cesarean Section I mentioned Ms.Goer in my previous post. Her main site is http://hencigoer.com
- Homebirth Reference Page (UK) This site is written as a public service to provide information to women about childbirth. She's not a medical professional.
- Shoulder Dystocia Information Page This page is compiled by an ob/gyn in the US. It has detailed definitions, but I noticed that a lot of the language seemed to be geared towards families that want to sue and why the doctors are not at fault. I also noticed that he completely disregards the Gaskin Maneuver based on the assumption that it cannot be performed on a woman with an epidural. But in Ina May's study she discusses incidents where birth attendants assisted women who had an epidural to successfully birth on hands and knees. And when I found his contact page I found that he has a consulting business for shoulder dystocia litigation, so I guess I was right about the purpose of this site.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
following last post... Shoulder dystocia resources
I though it might be useful to have some links for anyone who is interested, but I'm mainly compiling this so I can send my friend (whom I mentioned) to one place to find the information that she needs. I've included some background about who's writing the information for each site, because one should be aware of where one's information comes from.
Informed choices assumes you're actually informed...
Ok, first off, I'm not avoiding blogging about our car accident last Thursday. The basic account is on Yoram's blog, and I'm still processing and not fully sure how to express the experience, or even if I want to.
In the meantime, life - thank God - goes on.
So I have a question for you:
Scenario: you walk into a store to purchase a safety product for your home and in one aisle you are approached by a rep from one of the brands. The rep tells you why his brand is the best brand to buy. He shows you articles that conclude that its much safer than the other products for x, y, and z reasons, and that purchasing any other product will result in almost certain death (you know they do, even if they don't use those words). There is a rep from a competing brand in the next aisle and she has an equally impressive presentation.
What do you do?
Do you buy the product based on the rep's information?
Do you buy the one that's most expensive (this is safety we're talking about, expense must equal quality)?
Or do you do as much independent research as you can to ensure that you are buying the product that is going to best serve you and your family?
Would you be wary of information from someone with a vested interest in his or her product?
Why don't we treat our Prenatal and birthing choices this way? Why are we willing to be scared @$#%less by a doctor or midwife that has a vested interest in our choosing to submit to their course of action? I'm not saying it's always the wrong choice, I'm just saying that we always need to consider the beliefs of the speaker.
And we need to make choices because we KNOW, not because we're scared of the alternative.
I have been called upon by a very dear friend to re-enter the world of informed choices in childbirth. I know I'm still passionate about the issues. The pain and frustration I feel when I hear pregnant women tell birthing horror stories that could have been avoided, or handled better, if they had just been given all the facts. If they had just been treated as partners in the birthing process rather than patients who need to be saved from a catastrophic event, if birth professionals could infuse women with trust in birth and belief in their own strength and ability to birth - then we'd be hearing a lot fewer horror stories.
My friend has been told that since her previous birth was complicated by shoulder dystocia, she is at increased risk of that happening again, this is not proven. She was led to believe by her doctor that the fault of this complication lies with the mother's build. That's possible in cases of true gestational diabetes, or misshapen pelvis, but not in normal healthy women. Allowing a woman to mistakenly believe that shoulder dystocia is something that "just happens" to some women doesn't infuse women with trust and understanding of the birth process, it does the exact opposite - which, IMHO, will lead to more complications than any other risk factor. He presented her with all sorts of dire possibilities, but did not mention the possibility that the problem is often bad positioning of the mother and that repositioning the mother can and does relieve the dystocia!
Her doctor's rough estimate of her baby's size at her current 38 weeks is around 3000 grams. He told her that he wants her to be induced next week. Can we all remember, for a moment, the > 1000 gram margin of error in birth weight estimates after the first trimester???
I just have to share my findings, because the more visible this information becomes the more likely we are to demand a change in protocols.
So first of all, a brief explanation of shoulder dystocia: It's defined as a case in which a baby's head is born and the shoulders take more than 60 seconds to follow. Let me clarify further: Shoulder dystocia is not something your baby "has" it is something that happens to a baby during birth. Baby's who experience dystocia in birth are often over 4kg (~8.5 lbs) but not always, and not all babies over 4kg get stuck. The risk to the baby of this complication is that (s)he can suffer an injury to the brachial plexus nerve that threads under the clavicle. Damage to the brachial plexus can, lead to permanent nerve damage to the child's arm. Namely Erb's Palsy or Klumpke's Palsy.
All the maneuvers that have been practiced to facilitate birth and attempt to prevent injury assume that the laboring woman is lying flat on her back with her feet up in the air.
Here is a brief account of a study of the Gaskin Maneuver which was brought to the US by Ina May Gaskin. This article is easy to read and very clear.
In the study of 82 cases out of 4452 birth, shoulder dystocia occured and was relieved by the completely non-invasive method of having the laboring women turn onto all fours to deliver the baby. Some of the cases involved women who were under epidural anesthesia and were none-the-less assisted into the all-fours position by birth attendants.
Another well researched article is this one from a UK Homebirth advocate. One thing that she noted, which I feel is important to highlight is that injuries that have been linked to shoulder dystocia are not caused by birth, but by the act of extracting the baby from the mother. (those are commonly known as "iatrogenic injuries" but that term is not being applied to shoulder dystocia. It's called a "birth complication". Maybe that's because a lot of "birth complications" are actually iatrogenic. But don't get me started.)
At the moment, these seem to be my friend's choices:
a) induction at 39 weeks for same reason as above (consider risks of induction)
b) elective abdominal surgery (i.e. c/section) for suspicion of high birth weight (consider risks of surgery)
c) go into labor when baby is ready if you fall into the 2% chance that a problem presents itself, get onto your hands and knees. No injuries, no additional recovery time, in most of the studied cases the babies were delivered over an intact perineum!!
I just want her to trust her body and her baby and her strong beautiful body that God gave her.
Many doctors and birth professionals (yes, even midwives - such as the midwife who was present for Yitzchak's birth) try to attribute terms and rules to pregnancy and birth. Like trying to make a corolation between previous pregnancies and the current one for no other reason than "it happened before." Even though it is the doctors and midwives who should know best that one woman's birth cannot be compared to another's, and that even one woman's previous births cannot predict any future births. Complications happen when those doctors and midwives attempt to manage a birth based on facts of previous births. Like suggesting an induction or a cesarean based on a previous case of shoulder dystocia. Induction carries it's own risks to baby and mother. And in fact, in the cases of injuries following shoulder dystocia, one of the factors was pitocim use in labor! (causing stronger, more feequent contractions than mom or baby were created to handle, also by limiting the mother's movements due to the pitocin drip, etc...) It's the classic interventions chain that is so clearly illustrated in Henci Goer's book "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth."
This has been a long post, and I've let a lot of my reactions to the information seep in. So allow me a little ipso facto disclaimer: I am not against medical interventions in childbirth or in any other area of medical care. I believe that the technological advancements in medicine and in childbirth have saved many complicated births that would have ended in tragedy a century ago. I am critical of the medical field of pregnacy and childbirth which dictates protocols based on fear not on evidence. I am wary of following the advice of anyone who directly benefits from that advice - which doesn't mean I won't take it. It means I will research it first. And I am critical of a generation of women who are willing to allow things to be done to their bodies and their babies that have not been completely explained to them, and without getting all the information first.
In every are of life, whether it's birth, parenting, business, relationships, or religion - if you make a decision out of fear, you are making the wrong decision - every single time. I've seen it in my own life, learned it from my mentors in every area of study and seen it in practice in the lives of those I love.
Make your choices from a place of knowledge and of trust, and if you don't have access to the knowledge that you need then find someone who does. Pursue it at all costs, and live you life in joy, in complete faith, and not in fear.
"כל העולם כלו גשר צר מעוד והעיקר לא לפחד כלל" "The world is but a narrow bridge, and the main thing is not to fear at all"
In the meantime, life - thank God - goes on.
So I have a question for you:
Scenario: you walk into a store to purchase a safety product for your home and in one aisle you are approached by a rep from one of the brands. The rep tells you why his brand is the best brand to buy. He shows you articles that conclude that its much safer than the other products for x, y, and z reasons, and that purchasing any other product will result in almost certain death (you know they do, even if they don't use those words). There is a rep from a competing brand in the next aisle and she has an equally impressive presentation.
What do you do?
Do you buy the product based on the rep's information?
Do you buy the one that's most expensive (this is safety we're talking about, expense must equal quality)?
Or do you do as much independent research as you can to ensure that you are buying the product that is going to best serve you and your family?
Would you be wary of information from someone with a vested interest in his or her product?
Why don't we treat our Prenatal and birthing choices this way? Why are we willing to be scared @$#%less by a doctor or midwife that has a vested interest in our choosing to submit to their course of action? I'm not saying it's always the wrong choice, I'm just saying that we always need to consider the beliefs of the speaker.
And we need to make choices because we KNOW, not because we're scared of the alternative.
I have been called upon by a very dear friend to re-enter the world of informed choices in childbirth. I know I'm still passionate about the issues. The pain and frustration I feel when I hear pregnant women tell birthing horror stories that could have been avoided, or handled better, if they had just been given all the facts. If they had just been treated as partners in the birthing process rather than patients who need to be saved from a catastrophic event, if birth professionals could infuse women with trust in birth and belief in their own strength and ability to birth - then we'd be hearing a lot fewer horror stories.
My friend has been told that since her previous birth was complicated by shoulder dystocia, she is at increased risk of that happening again, this is not proven. She was led to believe by her doctor that the fault of this complication lies with the mother's build. That's possible in cases of true gestational diabetes, or misshapen pelvis, but not in normal healthy women. Allowing a woman to mistakenly believe that shoulder dystocia is something that "just happens" to some women doesn't infuse women with trust and understanding of the birth process, it does the exact opposite - which, IMHO, will lead to more complications than any other risk factor. He presented her with all sorts of dire possibilities, but did not mention the possibility that the problem is often bad positioning of the mother and that repositioning the mother can and does relieve the dystocia!
Her doctor's rough estimate of her baby's size at her current 38 weeks is around 3000 grams. He told her that he wants her to be induced next week. Can we all remember, for a moment, the > 1000 gram margin of error in birth weight estimates after the first trimester???
I just have to share my findings, because the more visible this information becomes the more likely we are to demand a change in protocols.
So first of all, a brief explanation of shoulder dystocia: It's defined as a case in which a baby's head is born and the shoulders take more than 60 seconds to follow. Let me clarify further: Shoulder dystocia is not something your baby "has" it is something that happens to a baby during birth. Baby's who experience dystocia in birth are often over 4kg (~8.5 lbs) but not always, and not all babies over 4kg get stuck. The risk to the baby of this complication is that (s)he can suffer an injury to the brachial plexus nerve that threads under the clavicle. Damage to the brachial plexus can, lead to permanent nerve damage to the child's arm. Namely Erb's Palsy or Klumpke's Palsy.
All the maneuvers that have been practiced to facilitate birth and attempt to prevent injury assume that the laboring woman is lying flat on her back with her feet up in the air.
Here is a brief account of a study of the Gaskin Maneuver which was brought to the US by Ina May Gaskin. This article is easy to read and very clear.
In the study of 82 cases out of 4452 birth, shoulder dystocia occured and was relieved by the completely non-invasive method of having the laboring women turn onto all fours to deliver the baby. Some of the cases involved women who were under epidural anesthesia and were none-the-less assisted into the all-fours position by birth attendants.
Another well researched article is this one from a UK Homebirth advocate. One thing that she noted, which I feel is important to highlight is that injuries that have been linked to shoulder dystocia are not caused by birth, but by the act of extracting the baby from the mother. (those are commonly known as "iatrogenic injuries" but that term is not being applied to shoulder dystocia. It's called a "birth complication". Maybe that's because a lot of "birth complications" are actually iatrogenic. But don't get me started.)
At the moment, these seem to be my friend's choices:
a) induction at 39 weeks for same reason as above (consider risks of induction)
b) elective abdominal surgery (i.e. c/section) for suspicion of high birth weight (consider risks of surgery)
c) go into labor when baby is ready if you fall into the 2% chance that a problem presents itself, get onto your hands and knees. No injuries, no additional recovery time, in most of the studied cases the babies were delivered over an intact perineum!!
I just want her to trust her body and her baby and her strong beautiful body that God gave her.
Many doctors and birth professionals (yes, even midwives - such as the midwife who was present for Yitzchak's birth) try to attribute terms and rules to pregnancy and birth. Like trying to make a corolation between previous pregnancies and the current one for no other reason than "it happened before." Even though it is the doctors and midwives who should know best that one woman's birth cannot be compared to another's, and that even one woman's previous births cannot predict any future births. Complications happen when those doctors and midwives attempt to manage a birth based on facts of previous births. Like suggesting an induction or a cesarean based on a previous case of shoulder dystocia. Induction carries it's own risks to baby and mother. And in fact, in the cases of injuries following shoulder dystocia, one of the factors was pitocim use in labor! (causing stronger, more feequent contractions than mom or baby were created to handle, also by limiting the mother's movements due to the pitocin drip, etc...) It's the classic interventions chain that is so clearly illustrated in Henci Goer's book "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth."
This has been a long post, and I've let a lot of my reactions to the information seep in. So allow me a little ipso facto disclaimer: I am not against medical interventions in childbirth or in any other area of medical care. I believe that the technological advancements in medicine and in childbirth have saved many complicated births that would have ended in tragedy a century ago. I am critical of the medical field of pregnacy and childbirth which dictates protocols based on fear not on evidence. I am wary of following the advice of anyone who directly benefits from that advice - which doesn't mean I won't take it. It means I will research it first. And I am critical of a generation of women who are willing to allow things to be done to their bodies and their babies that have not been completely explained to them, and without getting all the information first.
In every are of life, whether it's birth, parenting, business, relationships, or religion - if you make a decision out of fear, you are making the wrong decision - every single time. I've seen it in my own life, learned it from my mentors in every area of study and seen it in practice in the lives of those I love.
Make your choices from a place of knowledge and of trust, and if you don't have access to the knowledge that you need then find someone who does. Pursue it at all costs, and live you life in joy, in complete faith, and not in fear.
"כל העולם כלו גשר צר מעוד והעיקר לא לפחד כלל" "The world is but a narrow bridge, and the main thing is not to fear at all"
Monday, December 14, 2009
New Revelations On Winnie-the-Pooh
I love having a blog! It's this wonderful place where I can put all my random thoughts and revelations and serendipitous moments where they don't need to be at all cohesive or have anything at all to do with each other. :-)
I've always been somewhat bothered by the fact that all the characters in the Winnie-the-Pooh stories are male, except Kanga - the sweet, doting, overprotective in her words but not in her actions... (I am speaking not from the Disney interpretation of the stories, but the original A.A. Milne books.) Well, this morning I had a thought about that. Mr. Milne wrote these books for his son, Christopher Robin. He wrote them as a memorial to him, and to express the world in a way that would appeal to a little boy. Well then it makes perfect sense. As I thought about how my children engender their stuffed animals and dolls.
It's important to note that both Yoram and I are very aware of not masculinating or feminizing our children. Netanel's baby doll, which is a Cabbage Patch doll that my IL's bought him and wheres a pink and purple sleeper, is a boy baby named (affectionately) Uncle Hillel. Uncle Hillel (the doll, not my brother) has super powers to fight bad guys.
Odeliya will pick up just about anything small (seeds, sticks, dolls, bouncy balls, toy cars, etc...) and wrap it in the nearest blanket, napkin, tissue... and cradle it and call it her baby.
So in my limited experience, I would think that A.A. Milne, writing for Christopher Robin would imagine all his toys to be male. And in his make-believe world there would only be one female. The loving, doting, kangaroo momma, a depiction of his own wife, and CR's mother - embodied in Kanga.
That's my totally random thought for the day!
I've always been somewhat bothered by the fact that all the characters in the Winnie-the-Pooh stories are male, except Kanga - the sweet, doting, overprotective in her words but not in her actions... (I am speaking not from the Disney interpretation of the stories, but the original A.A. Milne books.) Well, this morning I had a thought about that. Mr. Milne wrote these books for his son, Christopher Robin. He wrote them as a memorial to him, and to express the world in a way that would appeal to a little boy. Well then it makes perfect sense. As I thought about how my children engender their stuffed animals and dolls.
It's important to note that both Yoram and I are very aware of not masculinating or feminizing our children. Netanel's baby doll, which is a Cabbage Patch doll that my IL's bought him and wheres a pink and purple sleeper, is a boy baby named (affectionately) Uncle Hillel. Uncle Hillel (the doll, not my brother) has super powers to fight bad guys.
Odeliya will pick up just about anything small (seeds, sticks, dolls, bouncy balls, toy cars, etc...) and wrap it in the nearest blanket, napkin, tissue... and cradle it and call it her baby.
So in my limited experience, I would think that A.A. Milne, writing for Christopher Robin would imagine all his toys to be male. And in his make-believe world there would only be one female. The loving, doting, kangaroo momma, a depiction of his own wife, and CR's mother - embodied in Kanga.
That's my totally random thought for the day!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Giving Thanks
I would like to publicly give thanks to the One for constantly providing exactly what we need, and for constantly renewing my faith in my decision to follow the path that has been set for me and my family!
This morning Yoram called to tell me that the winery announced officially that the seasonal workers are going to be hired as full time employees as of January 1st! Thank you, Hashem, for providing for us on every step of this journey!
note: Hashem literally means "the name." It is the way most Orthodox Jews refer to God. I'm in search of a more personally fulfilling way to refer to Hashem, but I have yet to find one that I connect to. Just thought I'd share in case anyone was wondering.
This morning Yoram called to tell me that the winery announced officially that the seasonal workers are going to be hired as full time employees as of January 1st! Thank you, Hashem, for providing for us on every step of this journey!
note: Hashem literally means "the name." It is the way most Orthodox Jews refer to God. I'm in search of a more personally fulfilling way to refer to Hashem, but I have yet to find one that I connect to. Just thought I'd share in case anyone was wondering.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Yeast Update
I had to let it go. :-(
I'm going to try again and start on a Sunday and set a timer to remind myself to feed it and all that, but I started midweek, had to abandon it on Shabbat, thought I could probably revive it at some point on Monday, but then forgot about it and when I remembered it, oh boy, I did not want to go there!
Back to buying from the store for now, oh well.
I'm going to try again and start on a Sunday and set a timer to remind myself to feed it and all that, but I started midweek, had to abandon it on Shabbat, thought I could probably revive it at some point on Monday, but then forgot about it and when I remembered it, oh boy, I did not want to go there!
Back to buying from the store for now, oh well.
Monday, December 7, 2009
A Lesson in Spiriruality from a 2 year old
Yoram starts work too early to go to prayer services at the synagogue so he's been saying שחרית, the morning service at home. As much as I support him going to מנין (group sevices) there is definitely power in numbers, but I'm not complaining b/c it means he's here at 6am when Odeliya wakes up and I can stay in bed a little longer!
There's a section of the prayers during which talking and interruption should really be avoided.So Yoram has a little huddle with Odeliya before he starts that section where he tells her, "Odeliya, right now I'm going to be talking only to Hashem. It's very important and I wont be able to answer you, so if you need something you need to go up to Mommy, ok?" She nods and continues playing/eating breakfast/etc,... So the other day,Yoram finished praying and thanked Odel;iya for behaving so nicely and being so patient.
Odeliya's response: "ok, and what Hashem say?"
There's a section of the prayers during which talking and interruption should really be avoided.So Yoram has a little huddle with Odeliya before he starts that section where he tells her, "Odeliya, right now I'm going to be talking only to Hashem. It's very important and I wont be able to answer you, so if you need something you need to go up to Mommy, ok?" She nods and continues playing/eating breakfast/etc,... So the other day,Yoram finished praying and thanked Odel;iya for behaving so nicely and being so patient.
Odeliya's response: "ok, and what Hashem say?"
Sunday, November 29, 2009
I Can Make Soymilk!
And so can you! As I write this I am enjoying a cup of fresh, sweet, vanilla chai tea! Mmmmm..... heaven!
I know that you are thinking, "How can she not know about all the information about the problems with too much soy and the estrogen content and all that stuff?" Well, here's the real deal. If you eat mostly whole foods, and any soy products you do eat come from actual soybeans that you purchase or grow on your own, then you don't have to worry about all that stuff. The problem is what they're doing to the soy, not the soy itself.
If you're eating mostly processed foods (i.e. anything with an ingredient list of more than 2) Then you are most likely exposing yourself to processed soy parts. Soy protein isolate, soy powder, soy lecithin, hydrogenated soybean oil, etc... Our bodies don't know what to do with that junk! So we hit maximum soy toxicity levels and have all sorts of unwanted problems like allergic reactions and estrogen imbalance.
Soy, as a whole food, is just like eating kidney beans, for example, or lentils. And the health benefits and nutritional benefits are wonderful.
Er, ahem. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming: "Learning Your 7 Times Tables With Hands On Examples" - I mean, uh, "How to Make Your Own Homemade Soymilk" (I've been awake for waaaaay too many hours this week!)
I watched this video:
Practical "tachliss" recipe:
2 Cups dry soybeans, soaked overnight in 4 cups of water
~ 7-8 cups water
sweetener/flavorings to taste.
equipment:
blender
cheesecloth (or a nylon knee-high like I use! Doesn't everyone have pantyhose as kitchen utensils?!?)
a large pot
an extra bowl
yields (i before e, except after c. Yes, I did just say that.) about a liter and a half of soymilk.
I have one thing to add. Before you put the pot on the fire, rub some vegetable oil on the inside of the rim, it will prevent it from boiling over.
Also, I highly recommend blending the beans for at least 2 minutes, as he says, otherwise your milk will be very watery.
And another thing: Don't throw out that soy meal! You can use it to make bread, or muffins, or soy burgers! Or just add it to your next smoothie for an extra kick of protein! (and this is one of those i/e exceptions that remind me how much I love my spellcheck!)
If you try it, please do let me know how it came out for you! I am thouroughly enjoying my tea!
I know that you are thinking, "How can she not know about all the information about the problems with too much soy and the estrogen content and all that stuff?" Well, here's the real deal. If you eat mostly whole foods, and any soy products you do eat come from actual soybeans that you purchase or grow on your own, then you don't have to worry about all that stuff. The problem is what they're doing to the soy, not the soy itself.
If you're eating mostly processed foods (i.e. anything with an ingredient list of more than 2) Then you are most likely exposing yourself to processed soy parts. Soy protein isolate, soy powder, soy lecithin, hydrogenated soybean oil, etc... Our bodies don't know what to do with that junk! So we hit maximum soy toxicity levels and have all sorts of unwanted problems like allergic reactions and estrogen imbalance.
Soy, as a whole food, is just like eating kidney beans, for example, or lentils. And the health benefits and nutritional benefits are wonderful.
Er, ahem. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming: "Learning Your 7 Times Tables With Hands On Examples" - I mean, uh, "How to Make Your Own Homemade Soymilk" (I've been awake for waaaaay too many hours this week!)
I watched this video:
Practical "tachliss" recipe:
2 Cups dry soybeans, soaked overnight in 4 cups of water
~ 7-8 cups water
sweetener/flavorings to taste.
equipment:
blender
cheesecloth (or a nylon knee-high like I use! Doesn't everyone have pantyhose as kitchen utensils?!?)
a large pot
an extra bowl
yields (i before e, except after c. Yes, I did just say that.) about a liter and a half of soymilk.
I have one thing to add. Before you put the pot on the fire, rub some vegetable oil on the inside of the rim, it will prevent it from boiling over.
Also, I highly recommend blending the beans for at least 2 minutes, as he says, otherwise your milk will be very watery.
And another thing: Don't throw out that soy meal! You can use it to make bread, or muffins, or soy burgers! Or just add it to your next smoothie for an extra kick of protein! (and this is one of those i/e exceptions that remind me how much I love my spellcheck!)
If you try it, please do let me know how it came out for you! I am thouroughly enjoying my tea!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
The Tale of Odeliya and Horses
I have been watiing to post this until the video was up, so now I can finally post this story!
A few weeks ago my friend invited me to walk with her to this beautiful stream/wadi right outside Katzerin. So close, in fact, that we walked there: My pregnant friend, me wearing Yitzchak, and Odeliya in the stroller!
So anyway, we go. On our way we see two beautiful horses, we later met their owner, Odeliya went right up to them. Mind you this was her first time actually being near a horse that wasn't in a zoo. I was extremely disappointed about not bringing my camera! Once we got to the stream and got settled I found my Flip video camera in my bag! So we got footage of us playing at the stream and we also got some of the horses on the way back. Fortunately or unfortunately... you'll have to decide!
Yes, it is 10 minutes long, but they are absolutely beautiful horses, and it gets pretty intense when they started bullying us for more food. (Also, try to catch what it says on the sign at the entrance in the last bit of the video... it's pretty indicitive of life up here!)
A few weeks ago my friend invited me to walk with her to this beautiful stream/wadi right outside Katzerin. So close, in fact, that we walked there: My pregnant friend, me wearing Yitzchak, and Odeliya in the stroller!
So anyway, we go. On our way we see two beautiful horses, we later met their owner, Odeliya went right up to them. Mind you this was her first time actually being near a horse that wasn't in a zoo. I was extremely disappointed about not bringing my camera! Once we got to the stream and got settled I found my Flip video camera in my bag! So we got footage of us playing at the stream and we also got some of the horses on the way back. Fortunately or unfortunately... you'll have to decide!
Yes, it is 10 minutes long, but they are absolutely beautiful horses, and it gets pretty intense when they started bullying us for more food. (Also, try to catch what it says on the sign at the entrance in the last bit of the video... it's pretty indicitive of life up here!)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
I'm growing a new addition...
...to my baking repertoire! I'm raising a wild yeast starter!
Basically, that means I'm making my own yeast for baking. I'm using the instructions from wildyeastblog and I'll keep you posted as to how it turns out!
Today is day 2, and I noticed one big bubble!!! I now need to discard about 2/3's of the mix and replace it with new flour and water...
Basically, that means I'm making my own yeast for baking. I'm using the instructions from wildyeastblog and I'll keep you posted as to how it turns out!
Today is day 2, and I noticed one big bubble!!! I now need to discard about 2/3's of the mix and replace it with new flour and water...
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
What's On My Search Engine
I think you can tell a lot about a person by what's in their search bar. ;-)
This is what I looked up yesterday:
Soybean Recipes (I have a 1/2 kilo bag of dry soybeans in my freezer)
Although now I have a cup of it soaking over night as per this site's directions for making tofu.
I'm also going to try dry-roasting them, which is also on that site.
I have also been feeling the "sweet" deprivation. I love apples and oranges, but they're nothing compared to the candy of summer fruit. I miss the plums and peaches and nectarines...mmmmm... fall and winter fruit are muted and deeper. Well, it's lead me to search for some winter confections and as my lemon tree is in full bloom, I started with a search for lemon recipes.
Here are the faves that I'll be trying:
Lemon Curd
Lemon Muffins
Lemon Sponge Pudding
Lemon Cookies
And I made this incredible coffee cake for Shabbat, but it used a heckuvalotta margarine and I'm going to play around with it, and add the lemon curd... I'll definitely the recipe with pictures when I get it right.
Last week I was looking up how to make my own essential oils and herbal teas. I picked some eucalyptus leaves off the trees near my house and wanted to do something with them to help the congestion that's been plaguing the kids.
This was the site I found that seemed the most comprehensive: Gardens Ablaze. Some really awesome stuff on there.
This is what I looked up yesterday:
Soybean Recipes (I have a 1/2 kilo bag of dry soybeans in my freezer)
Although now I have a cup of it soaking over night as per this site's directions for making tofu.
I'm also going to try dry-roasting them, which is also on that site.
I have also been feeling the "sweet" deprivation. I love apples and oranges, but they're nothing compared to the candy of summer fruit. I miss the plums and peaches and nectarines...mmmmm... fall and winter fruit are muted and deeper. Well, it's lead me to search for some winter confections and as my lemon tree is in full bloom, I started with a search for lemon recipes.
Here are the faves that I'll be trying:
Lemon Curd
Lemon Muffins
Lemon Sponge Pudding
Lemon Cookies
And I made this incredible coffee cake for Shabbat, but it used a heckuvalotta margarine and I'm going to play around with it, and add the lemon curd... I'll definitely the recipe with pictures when I get it right.
Last week I was looking up how to make my own essential oils and herbal teas. I picked some eucalyptus leaves off the trees near my house and wanted to do something with them to help the congestion that's been plaguing the kids.
This was the site I found that seemed the most comprehensive: Gardens Ablaze. Some really awesome stuff on there.
Monday, November 23, 2009
The Genius of Tani
I know, I'm biased, but I'm open to comments... remember he's only 5.
So first, a joke. You've probably heard this one before. I was listening quietly as Yoram told it to Tani.
I'll be making you scroll down a bit, sorry, but I want you to have the full effect.
Ok, so how do you get a giraffe into a refrigerator?
..
..
..
..
..
..
Open the door, put in the giraffe and close the door.
..
How do you get an elephant into a refrigerator?
..
..
..
..
Open the door, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door.
(Tani laughs)
..
..
The Lion, King of the Animals, calls a big meeting, all the animals come except one. Who didn't come?
(without missing a beat, Netanel answers:)
The elephant.
"why?" askes my astonished husband.
"Because he was in the refrigerator!"
Yoram and I looked at each other somewhat bemused.
Half an hour later, I'm making omlettes for dinner in the kitchen and the baby is in his bouncy seat while Yoram bring Odeliya up to bed (having fallen asleep on his shoulder, did I mention she hasn't been napping since she started daycare?)
Netanel, in the meantime, is entertaining Yitzchak, and suddenly we hear, "Kooshkoosh, how do you get a giraffe in a refrigerator?" The hysterical part is when he takes the toy elephents off the bouncy seat and puts them in the fridge! Amidst shouts and gurgles of glee from the baby!
(Yoram grabbed thhe flip, so I'll add the video of it as soon as its up.)
So first, a joke. You've probably heard this one before. I was listening quietly as Yoram told it to Tani.
I'll be making you scroll down a bit, sorry, but I want you to have the full effect.
Ok, so how do you get a giraffe into a refrigerator?
..
..
..
..
..
..
Open the door, put in the giraffe and close the door.
..
How do you get an elephant into a refrigerator?
..
..
..
..
Open the door, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door.
(Tani laughs)
..
..
The Lion, King of the Animals, calls a big meeting, all the animals come except one. Who didn't come?
(without missing a beat, Netanel answers:)
The elephant.
"why?" askes my astonished husband.
"Because he was in the refrigerator!"
Yoram and I looked at each other somewhat bemused.
Half an hour later, I'm making omlettes for dinner in the kitchen and the baby is in his bouncy seat while Yoram bring Odeliya up to bed (having fallen asleep on his shoulder, did I mention she hasn't been napping since she started daycare?)
Netanel, in the meantime, is entertaining Yitzchak, and suddenly we hear, "Kooshkoosh, how do you get a giraffe in a refrigerator?" The hysterical part is when he takes the toy elephents off the bouncy seat and puts them in the fridge! Amidst shouts and gurgles of glee from the baby!
(Yoram grabbed thhe flip, so I'll add the video of it as soon as its up.)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
When in doubt... Cook!
I've been feeling neglectul of my blog (and so too my adoring fans :P!) So I decided to post a healthy, easy recipe that I started making for my family.
It uses some of my favorite vegetales: eggplant and tomatoes - neither of which are actually vegetables! Eggplant is a berry and tomato plants are herbaceous, while the tomato itself acually classifies as a fruit. Theres a tidbit for you trivia buffs!
So, anyway, I call it Don't Tell The Kids Its Not Eggplant Parmesian! A long name, I concur, but thats how it was inspired, so there it is.
Ingredients:
Two medium eggplants
5 tomatoes (I prefer campari, but any variety will do)
1 large onion
3-5 cloves garlic
1 egg
Oilive Oil
about 1 lb (1/2 kilo) shredded cheese (your choice: parmesan, cheddar, mozarela, a mix, or whatever melts well and gets your tastebuds all a-flutter!)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (~190 Celcius)
Dice onion, eggplant and tomato
Sautee in olive oil with the garlic until you have a nice soft mush
add the egg and cheese and stir quickly, so you don't get pieces of cooked egg!
pour into a casserol dish or 9X13 pan and bake uncovered for 40 min.
I sprinkle some ground flax seeds on the top before baking.
!בתאבון
Enjoy!
It uses some of my favorite vegetales: eggplant and tomatoes - neither of which are actually vegetables! Eggplant is a berry and tomato plants are herbaceous, while the tomato itself acually classifies as a fruit. Theres a tidbit for you trivia buffs!
So, anyway, I call it Don't Tell The Kids Its Not Eggplant Parmesian! A long name, I concur, but thats how it was inspired, so there it is.
Ingredients:
Two medium eggplants
5 tomatoes (I prefer campari, but any variety will do)
1 large onion
3-5 cloves garlic
1 egg
Oilive Oil
about 1 lb (1/2 kilo) shredded cheese (your choice: parmesan, cheddar, mozarela, a mix, or whatever melts well and gets your tastebuds all a-flutter!)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (~190 Celcius)
Dice onion, eggplant and tomato
Sautee in olive oil with the garlic until you have a nice soft mush
add the egg and cheese and stir quickly, so you don't get pieces of cooked egg!
pour into a casserol dish or 9X13 pan and bake uncovered for 40 min.
I sprinkle some ground flax seeds on the top before baking.
!בתאבון
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Miss O in Daycare!
On Sunday my two-and-a-half year old, with her crown of bobbing curls, decided to upset the schedule.
It was a normal day and we'd had a lovely morning when Miss O started looking tired, as she normally does around 11am. Its great, she asks for her מוצץ (pacifier), I carry her to bed, read a short book, kiss on the forehead, "I love you, sweetie." "I wuv you too, Mommy." walk out the door.
Still according to schedule.
I si down on the couch to nurse Kooshkoosh, w/ my cup of tea, and begin to enjoy my hour and a half of quiet time, Mommy-and-baby-time. Thats when the trouble starts...
I hear noises from upstairs. Ok, maybe she's looking at a book, she'll be asleep in a few minutes...
I hear the distintive rustling sound of a tiny creature decending from her bed...
She goes into the bathroom, phew! Great, she's gonne pee - and even if she needs me to come up and help her, she'll go right into bed afterwards and I'll get to breathe.
She calls me upstairs.
Upon finishing up, she informs me in no uncertain terms:
"No, I not tired. I awake! I wanna come downstairs and get chocolate and watch a weevee (movie)"
Deep breath. We go downstairs. We color, we play, she's not getting tired. We even watch the goggie weevee (Lady and The Tramp "doggie movie") and no sign of sleepiness. Now it's only a couple of hours before Tani comes home and I realize that I am looking at being "on" in Mommy-mode all day. And my nerves begin to quiver... I send Yoram a text message:
"O is going to daycare starting tomorrow. She decided not to take a nap"
The response: "Ok"
So this is day 3 of Odeliya in daycare. Day 1 was really tough for me. I missed her, and wondered if she was enjoying herself (even though I know she was having a blast!)
Its a small group in the woman's home. Three kids Odeliya's age (including her adorable little boyfriend, Maor - who I'll blog more about in a different post!) and two little babies. Nona, the teacher is fantastic, loving, creative... I pick her up at 12:45, and she's been fed a full lunch. She's jumping up and down with glee and she can't wait to go back in the morning. The first day she napped at 3:30 which was a disaster. Yesterday she didn't nap at all, she just went to sleep early - and it was wonderful!
I have more energy, some time to play alone with my little guy, and time to actually get things done around the house! When people ask where she is and I tell them, their words of encouragement and support make me wonder what a mess I must have been up until now!
It was a normal day and we'd had a lovely morning when Miss O started looking tired, as she normally does around 11am. Its great, she asks for her מוצץ (pacifier), I carry her to bed, read a short book, kiss on the forehead, "I love you, sweetie." "I wuv you too, Mommy." walk out the door.
Still according to schedule.
I si down on the couch to nurse Kooshkoosh, w/ my cup of tea, and begin to enjoy my hour and a half of quiet time, Mommy-and-baby-time. Thats when the trouble starts...
I hear noises from upstairs. Ok, maybe she's looking at a book, she'll be asleep in a few minutes...
I hear the distintive rustling sound of a tiny creature decending from her bed...
She goes into the bathroom, phew! Great, she's gonne pee - and even if she needs me to come up and help her, she'll go right into bed afterwards and I'll get to breathe.
She calls me upstairs.
Upon finishing up, she informs me in no uncertain terms:
"No, I not tired. I awake! I wanna come downstairs and get chocolate and watch a weevee (movie)"
Deep breath. We go downstairs. We color, we play, she's not getting tired. We even watch the goggie weevee (Lady and The Tramp "doggie movie") and no sign of sleepiness. Now it's only a couple of hours before Tani comes home and I realize that I am looking at being "on" in Mommy-mode all day. And my nerves begin to quiver... I send Yoram a text message:
"O is going to daycare starting tomorrow. She decided not to take a nap"
The response: "Ok"
So this is day 3 of Odeliya in daycare. Day 1 was really tough for me. I missed her, and wondered if she was enjoying herself (even though I know she was having a blast!)
Its a small group in the woman's home. Three kids Odeliya's age (including her adorable little boyfriend, Maor - who I'll blog more about in a different post!) and two little babies. Nona, the teacher is fantastic, loving, creative... I pick her up at 12:45, and she's been fed a full lunch. She's jumping up and down with glee and she can't wait to go back in the morning. The first day she napped at 3:30 which was a disaster. Yesterday she didn't nap at all, she just went to sleep early - and it was wonderful!
I have more energy, some time to play alone with my little guy, and time to actually get things done around the house! When people ask where she is and I tell them, their words of encouragement and support make me wonder what a mess I must have been up until now!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Moments Moms Don't Talk Abouut
Last week I took a dive of the edge of the mothering cliff. There's only so much diapers, and dirty floors, and dishes, and potty misses, and hunger, and rushing to school, and nursing and diapers... that a woman can take! At some point I walked into my kids room at night and looked at their peaceful, sweet faces and wondered, "who's children are these?" They didn't look capable of infllicting the kind of torture, disrespect and messiness that they have been dolling out these past few days. And I walked out of their room feeling guilty and ashamed as my mind brought forth a flood of images of them being sweet, nurturing, thoughtful, clever, funny, helpful...
I know I love them, and I would do anything for them - in fact I am doing just that, and that's the problem. Yesterday, after talking to my mom, I called a babysitter and for the first time in almost a year, Yoram and I went on a date. We walked out of the city along the main road to the industrial park.After wanderinng around a bit, including finding a spot dark enough to see the infinite expanse of stars, we found our way to the Golan Heights Brewery and tried some excellent freshly brewed beers.
When we got home only Miss O was awake, but she fell asleep as soon as I lied down w/ her.
I feel a lot better now, especially after committing to go out twice a month. And I also know that sometimes even Mommies need a break.
I know I love them, and I would do anything for them - in fact I am doing just that, and that's the problem. Yesterday, after talking to my mom, I called a babysitter and for the first time in almost a year, Yoram and I went on a date. We walked out of the city along the main road to the industrial park.After wanderinng around a bit, including finding a spot dark enough to see the infinite expanse of stars, we found our way to the Golan Heights Brewery and tried some excellent freshly brewed beers.
When we got home only Miss O was awake, but she fell asleep as soon as I lied down w/ her.
I feel a lot better now, especially after committing to go out twice a month. And I also know that sometimes even Mommies need a break.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
My dirty little secret...
Am I a horrible mother? I mean, it's so sad when they're not feeling well and they're out of sorts, but a teeny tiny little part of me kind of likes snuggling under the covers w/ tea and toast and watching movies all day!
And while we're on the topic, I am infinitely impressed that they drank the tea I made for them today! just brewed fresh mint leaves w/ lemon, honey and ginger. They both loved it! hehehe, I'm such a sneaky mommy, giving them yummy things that will also help them get better... hehehe ;-)
Tomorrow NBN Go North people are coming to take community profilee pictures of Katserin! So cool!
And while we're on the topic, I am infinitely impressed that they drank the tea I made for them today! just brewed fresh mint leaves w/ lemon, honey and ginger. They both loved it! hehehe, I'm such a sneaky mommy, giving them yummy things that will also help them get better... hehehe ;-)
Tomorrow NBN Go North people are coming to take community profilee pictures of Katserin! So cool!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
A possible next step
I started going to a parenting class with some of the other moms, the teacher is fantastic! We're going to be talking about setting borders from love and how to awaken our child's own ability to handle stressful situations... - but that's not the point of the story.
The point is that after it was over, we were chatting. One mom, who is ver pregnant and due to give birth very soon was talking about her discomforts, and also the stress she's feeling b/c she wants to give birth in a hospital in Netanya which is an hour away. So a second friend who was sitting between me and the speaker turned to me and asked, "don't you have anything to help her, a remedy of some sort?"
First I balked, but then I realized that I do have something that would put her at ease and help her feel more comfortable! (that's still not the point)
The point is, that I am becoming known as someone who is versed in natural remedies, I think I'd like to look into studying naturapathy or homeopathy... but I'd love to start with a good book oin the topic.
Any recommendations?
The point is that after it was over, we were chatting. One mom, who is ver pregnant and due to give birth very soon was talking about her discomforts, and also the stress she's feeling b/c she wants to give birth in a hospital in Netanya which is an hour away. So a second friend who was sitting between me and the speaker turned to me and asked, "don't you have anything to help her, a remedy of some sort?"
First I balked, but then I realized that I do have something that would put her at ease and help her feel more comfortable! (that's still not the point)
The point is, that I am becoming known as someone who is versed in natural remedies, I think I'd like to look into studying naturapathy or homeopathy... but I'd love to start with a good book oin the topic.
Any recommendations?
Monday, November 2, 2009
Maybe it's not the flu...
All the kids in his class had it, each one was out for a week, and then passed it on to the rest of their families... and just when I was beginning to feel neglected that nasty stinky virus found it's way into Netanel's little cells.
His immune system seems to be making a valiant battle, and I'm particular about not giving a fever reducer unless the temperature is higher than 100.4, b/c the fever is a symptom of your immune system fighting the illness, not the other way around. In fact, I had to have Yoram pick up some children's ibuprofen b/c we had none in the house.
Well, he's feeling a lot better this morning, but we're still bunking up in bed w/ blankets (which I freshly washed) and fresh peppermint tea w/ lemon, and chicken soup. And Disney movies. And in this wonderful, blessed downpour, I don't feel like I'm missing anything outside!
But I am out of honey, so I will have to venture out at some point... maybe tomorrow everyone will be better... :-)
His immune system seems to be making a valiant battle, and I'm particular about not giving a fever reducer unless the temperature is higher than 100.4, b/c the fever is a symptom of your immune system fighting the illness, not the other way around. In fact, I had to have Yoram pick up some children's ibuprofen b/c we had none in the house.
Well, he's feeling a lot better this morning, but we're still bunking up in bed w/ blankets (which I freshly washed) and fresh peppermint tea w/ lemon, and chicken soup. And Disney movies. And in this wonderful, blessed downpour, I don't feel like I'm missing anything outside!
But I am out of honey, so I will have to venture out at some point... maybe tomorrow everyone will be better... :-)
Friday, October 30, 2009
Postcard from Home
I'd like to try to make this a Friday tradition, a little postcard, all's-well, wish-you-were-here, kind of post.
So here's my first:
Dear family and friends,
It has been raining here since yesterday afternoon! One of the reasons we chose the Golan Heights over other areas of Israel is because so much of the country's produce is grown here, so many of the residents are farmers, here the connection to the land, to the rain, and to God is palpable.
I called my cellphone company today to pay my bill. We took care of all that stuff, and then I called Odeliya insiide from puddle jumping. So I asked the rep where she was, she said Tiberius.
"Ah, so you're also in the rain!" (It happens to not be raining in Jerusalem right now!)
"Yes, Baruch Hashem." she answers. " 'שתמשיכו ומלאו את הכנרת בעזרת ה" ("May it continue and fill the Sea of Galilee, with God's help") - the cellphone representative!
Love to all! Wish you were here, in the rain!
With love, from the Land of Milk and Honey,
~Ayelet
So here's my first:
Dear family and friends,
It has been raining here since yesterday afternoon! One of the reasons we chose the Golan Heights over other areas of Israel is because so much of the country's produce is grown here, so many of the residents are farmers, here the connection to the land, to the rain, and to God is palpable.
I called my cellphone company today to pay my bill. We took care of all that stuff, and then I called Odeliya insiide from puddle jumping. So I asked the rep where she was, she said Tiberius.
"Ah, so you're also in the rain!" (It happens to not be raining in Jerusalem right now!)
"Yes, Baruch Hashem." she answers. " 'שתמשיכו ומלאו את הכנרת בעזרת ה" ("May it continue and fill the Sea of Galilee, with God's help") - the cellphone representative!
Love to all! Wish you were here, in the rain!
With love, from the Land of Milk and Honey,
~Ayelet
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Miss O is Potty Training!
My little cutie struts her stuff!
I cant help wondering if she'll hate me for this some day...
I cant help wondering if she'll hate me for this some day...
Why I'm Not a Hippie
Yesterday my friend Sarah was over and my mom called.
Me: Hey, Ma, you know what I did? On Sunday we ran out of milk and I've been trying to cut out dairy, you know, to help Netanel's behavior. So I had about a kilo and a half of almonds, and I made almond milk! How cool is that? and now I have the almond meal left over to make cookies. And his gannenet (=pre-school teacher) told me that he's been exceptional this week - so I think its really working!
Mom: Great, Ayelet. wow, ok.
(from the next room, Sarah: You're such a Hippie!)
Me, laughing: Mommy, my friend thinks I'm a Hippie cuz I make my own almond milk.
Mom: So what else is new?
Well, I've never been a conformist (<-- see any non-hippiness yet?) so I decided to go about proving why I can't be stereotyped.
To those of you who know me well, I know you're laughing!
Here's what I came up with:
Me: Hey, Ma, you know what I did? On Sunday we ran out of milk and I've been trying to cut out dairy, you know, to help Netanel's behavior. So I had about a kilo and a half of almonds, and I made almond milk! How cool is that? and now I have the almond meal left over to make cookies. And his gannenet (=pre-school teacher) told me that he's been exceptional this week - so I think its really working!
Mom: Great, Ayelet. wow, ok.
(from the next room, Sarah: You're such a Hippie!)
Me, laughing: Mommy, my friend thinks I'm a Hippie cuz I make my own almond milk.
Mom: So what else is new?
Well, I've never been a conformist (<-- see any non-hippiness yet?) so I decided to go about proving why I can't be stereotyped.
To those of you who know me well, I know you're laughing!
Here's what I came up with:
- I don't co-sleep (from the hours of 5:30-6am when Yoram takes Yitzchak out of my bed)
- I don't wear my baby (when I'm holding him) and niether does Yoram.
- I do not nurse in public (if my kid isnt hungry)
- I haven't breastfed past 2 years old (b/c I caught listeria when Miss O was 22 months old and I was already 13 weeks pregnant and so dehydrated that I couldn't get out of bed for 2 weeks.)
- I use disposable diapers (when all the cloth is in the wash)
- I trust the doctors and obstetricians (to care for sick people or high risk pregnancies, which is why I choose to have my normal, healthy babies at home)
I haven't read Spiritual Midwifery (since last year because we haven't bought bookshelves yet, so our books are still in boxes)- I vaccinate my children (for a few things on my own schedule)
- We take medicine when we're sick (well, my kids think it's medicine. It's really raw honey, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar...)
- I use birth control (well, I wont take hormones, but I've been charting using the Fertility Awareness Method for 6 years.)
- I don't live in an eco-friendly house (b/c we're renting)
- I don't wear Birkenstocks (I wear Naot - to weddings)
- I don't wear long, flowy clothing (to bed)
- I trust the labels on all the products in the supermarket (that's why I mostly buy raw ingredients and make most of our food from scratch)
- I am not a vegetarian (I've just barely eaten any meat for months)
I don't have my own organic farm (yet)- I don't homeschool (and no, I haven't been considering it and researching it since Netanel started school - ok that's a lie, yes I have!)
- I don't have anything to write here, but I really wanted to get to 20!
- I do not listen to bluegrass and classic rock (b/c these days we're listening to Sandra Boynton and Uncle Moishe)
- And finally, I don't play guitar, and the first song I didn't learn was not "Blowin' in the Wind" (were there enough negatives in there to cancel them all out?
So, do I get a medal or something? :-)
Monday, October 26, 2009
It's 4 o'clock, do you know...
Yes, I know it's cliche, but it happened to me.
Little Miss O, princess of curls, and lacking pants and shoes walked down the block. I was nursing. I called her. No answer. I stopped nursing and ran out looking for her, sending Netanel around the block the other way and calling her name as I go. I looked into my neighbor's house (the one who's dog is pictured in my previous post) No one was home, except Punch (the dog). I continued looking.
As I ran frantically back towards home, I turned my head towards their house again, the door creaked open, and there was her curly little head poking out.
The little $%*&! she was hiding from me!
I think I need to give new thought to Hubby's idea of inventing a leashless collar for children!
Little Miss O, princess of curls, and lacking pants and shoes walked down the block. I was nursing. I called her. No answer. I stopped nursing and ran out looking for her, sending Netanel around the block the other way and calling her name as I go. I looked into my neighbor's house (the one who's dog is pictured in my previous post) No one was home, except Punch (the dog). I continued looking.
As I ran frantically back towards home, I turned my head towards their house again, the door creaked open, and there was her curly little head poking out.
The little $%*&! she was hiding from me!
I think I need to give new thought to Hubby's idea of inventing a leashless collar for children!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
While the Yeast was Proofing...
I'm waiting for my yeast to proof so I can make pita bread for the next few days. This is my third attempt at making pitas that pocket... I'll let you know!
Anyway, while I have a minute (the kids are watching a dvd, and kooshkoosh is nursing - yes, I'm typing w/ onre hand!)...
First a pic of Miss O - she miraculously let me brush and put her hair back!
The Chard Salad came out excellent! So did the cinnamon buns and water challah!
The yeast is now totally bubbly and foamy, so I'm going to make my dough!
Anyway, while I have a minute (the kids are watching a dvd, and kooshkoosh is nursing - yes, I'm typing w/ onre hand!)...
First a pic of Miss O - she miraculously let me brush and put her hair back!
The Chard Salad came out excellent! So did the cinnamon buns and water challah!
The yeast is now totally bubbly and foamy, so I'm going to make my dough!
I love watching yeast proof!
Can you imagine? I've always loved to cook, but never fancied myself a baker. Now I buy freshly ground whole wheat flour straight from thew grower - 10 kilo worth! We haven't bought bread in months!
So while my dough rises, let me tell you what happened on friday...
My brother called, he's expecting his first in February. We got into a parenting conversation, chatting about the importance of giving each kid the attention that they need even though its hard with three, and he related a story that happened between him and my big one when they were here visiting about how Netanel was able to express that he was feeling ignored, and that they - wait.
Where's Miss O?
I hear the neighbor's dog barking playfully. They are best friends. I look out the window:
Can you see her?
And no, your eyes are not deceiving you. She's not wearing any pants.
And although we're laughing hysterically on the phone together, I don't think my little brother will be taking parenting advice from me!
(Update from the present: I am now typing to the tune of a kvetchy baby, classical music in midi from the little toy piano, winnie-the-pooh, and the two big ones tearing up toilet paper... time to go!)
Friday, October 23, 2009
Wonderful Tasty Chard!
I bought chard in the market this week b/c we've been low on dark green leafies, so I decided to get creative for preparing it. Here's my original recipe for
Chard Salad w/ Cooked Grains
5 stalks chard (red or green)
1 leek
3 cloves garlic
1 cup barley
1 cup rice
~3 Tbs olive or sunflower oil
Directions:
Cook up the barley and rice (i did it separately, but you could probably cook them together and save time.
chop up chard, leek and garlic
sautee lightly in oil with some salt and pepper
refrigate all components separately.
before serving toss together with some fresh cilantro and lemon juice
Enjoy!
Shabbat Shalom from the Land of Milk and Honey!
Chard Salad w/ Cooked Grains
5 stalks chard (red or green)
1 leek
3 cloves garlic
1 cup barley
1 cup rice
~3 Tbs olive or sunflower oil
Directions:
Cook up the barley and rice (i did it separately, but you could probably cook them together and save time.
chop up chard, leek and garlic
sautee lightly in oil with some salt and pepper
refrigate all components separately.
before serving toss together with some fresh cilantro and lemon juice
Enjoy!
Shabbat Shalom from the Land of Milk and Honey!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
How I Melted the Mixing Bowl
It's 10:15am in the Land of Milk and Honey, and I am ready for a nap!
My day so far:
05:30 - I wake up to hubby asking Lil Miss O to stop pinching him.
06:00 - O (insistantly): I wanna watch a wevee! (trans: movie)
Hubby: nu. (he's praying and is not supposed to be talking)
me (from bed): O... come bring me books, I'll read to you.
Big Brother has awakened and joins O, Kooshkoosh, and me in my bed. I try to read through the foggy haze of sleepiness and lack of vision correction implements (i.e, glasses)
06:18 - Hubby comes upstairs and takes Kooshkoosh downstairs to make coffee, I continue to try to read.
06:30 - the bed is all mine and I drift longingly into 15 minutes of sleep, but now a voice breaks through the fog:
Hubby: Ayelet, do we have oatmeal?
yes, we do, but not the puor-boiling-water-over instant kind. I try to convey this via calling from my bed but end up abandoning all hopes of sleep.
I get up and come downstairs. A mug of coffee has been poured for me, bless that man's soul, little did I know it would need reheating before I'd get to drink it...
So I began to cook the oatmeal, I'm up already, let's make it good. I add in cut up apple, pear and plum pieces and some honey (ala my wonderful friend, Chaviva!! Thank you!!)
And then I notice the smell... I live in a row house, so I often smell things wafting from other houses, and the odor of burning plastic couldn't possibly be coming from my house....
The next was my husband, who had washed the dishes last night, bless that man's soul. But had decided that the stove top was a good place to leave a large plastic bowl to dry. (He was still home when I started cooking.) He got a pretty abusive call from me, which ended in tears and appologies (from me!)
Then came the child sacrifice. Here is my beautiful oatmeal:
And here is what my son left in his bowl (he was the one who wanted the arduous oatmeal which I awakened to prepare):
No, I did not raise my voice and lay on the guilt and threaten to never feed him again (ok, I really didn't do that last one!)
My morning: I ate a whole pot of oatmeal by myself, drank reheated coffee, sent Big Brother off to gan on his own (yes, Mom, he made it safe and sound!) , and started a new blog. At least some good has come of this!
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